Key selector and container



Nov. 19,1946. 0. SEELY 2,411,168

KEY SELECTOR AND CONTAINER Filed March 14, 1944 IN VEN TOR.

Patented Nov. 19, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE KEY SELECTOR AND CONTAINER Oliver Seely, Long Beach, Calif.

Application March 14, 1944, Serial No. 526,442

2 Claims. 1

This invention appertains to key holders, and has among its several objects the provision of a novel holder, or container, for carrying a number of keys in a convenient, compact, and orderly arrangement, in combination with a handy means, which is readily operable in a manner that any one of the keys can be quickly and easily selected and placed in a proper position for use, without interference from the other of the keys, or the usual diificulty of fumbling in the use of ordinary types of key holders.

With this and other objects and advantages in view, the invention resides in the certain new and useful combination, construction, and arrangement, of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, set forth in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a single unit holder, in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is an end View.

Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal section, taken through the line 3--3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a top plan view.

Figure 5 is a vertical, transverse section, taken through the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

V Figure 6 is an end view of the selector elements per se;

Figure 7 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a modified, or double unit, form of the holder.

Figure 8 is a vertical, transverse section, taken through the line 88 of Figure 7.

Referring to the drawing, wherein like characters of reference denote corresponding parts in the several related Views, and more particularly to Figures 1 through 6, the embodiment of the invention, as it is exemplified therein, is comprised in an elongated container body I I, formed of plastic, metal or other suitable material, which is machined or molded to the general shape of a key, in its side elevation. The body II is kerfed longitudinally outward from a point removed from its inner end to provide a plurality of parallel slots I2, that open through its outer end and partially through its lower side, inwardly from the outer end. The walls I3, forming the sides of the slots I2, are made circular in form at their outer ends, as at I4, to conform to the like ends of keys I5, positioned edgewise within the slots I2; a pivot pin I6 being passed centrally through the circular portions I 4 and through the openings usually present in the like portion of the keys. The slots I2 are closed at the lower side of the body II, by a bottom wall H, which slopes upwardly and rearwardly from a point adjacent the I3. The inner ends of the slots I2 are closed ofi by a cylindrical wall portion I8, that is integral with the walls l3, l1. Thus, with the keys I5 lying within the slots I2, and their circular outer ends engaged on the pivot pin It, the bit ends of the same rest on the slope of the bottom wall IT at the inner ends of the slots.

Mounted for turning movement on the cylindrical end portion I8, of the body II, is a cylindrical knob I9, which has a sleeve 20 extending from its inner side and enclosing the adjacent end portions of the slots l2 and the side walls t3, thus retaining the keys 15 within the slots. The sleeve 20 is slotted, at one point on its circumference, as at 2 I, so that, when the knob I 9 is turned, the slot 2| can be selectively registered with any one of the slots I2 for the outward swinging movement of a key I5 on the pivot pin I6. With the slot 2| in registry with a proper slot I2, and turning the body I! axially one hundred and eighty degrees to position, the slots I2 and 2| in a downward direction, the key will, of its own accord, swing free of its respective slot on the pivot 55, so that it can be easily grasped and inserted into a look. When not in use, the knob 59 is turned to position the slot 2| out of registry with the several slots I 2.

To retain the knob I9 against accidental turning movements, and to otherwise hold it in any,

one of its several set positions, a detent 22, that may take the form of a steel ball, is seated in the open end of a radial bore 23, formed in the cylindrical end portion I8, of the body I I, and upon the end of a coiled spring 24, housed within the bore, which holds it in contact with the inner surface of the annular wall of the knob and forces it into engagement successively with a series of seats 25, opening through the annular wall. These seats 25 correspond in number to the number of the slots I2 and are spaced apart relatively thereto, so that the knob I9 is temporarily held against turning movement thereby, whenever the slot 2| is placed in registry with one of the slots I2. An additional seat 26 is also provided at a distance from the seats 25 for cooperation with the detent 22 to hold the knob I 9 against accidental turning, when the slot 2| is displaced from registry with the slots I2, and the holder is not in use.

In order to assure of free passage of the bit of a key I5 outwardly and inwardly of the slot 2|, in the sleeve 28, the inner and outer sides of the opposed edges of the sleeve, forming the sides of the slot, are beveled, as at 2|, and as is best shown in Figure 6; the bevels acting to center a key on the pivot pin I6 and relatively to the opposed walls of the slot I2, in which the key is normally housed. The knob I9 is held in place on the cylindrical portion 20, of the body II, by a screw 28 passed inwardly through an opening 21 in its end wall for threaded engagement in the end wall of the cylindrical portion 20.

In the double unit form of the holder, shown in Figures 7 and 8, the key receiving slots II2 are kerfed in the top and bottom sides of a substantially triangular shaped body I I I, which sides convergingly slope inwardly from the outer end of the body and merge into the cylindrical portion I20 at the inner end of the body. The corners of the outer end of the body I I I are rounded,

as at H4, to give to the side walls II3, separated by the slots II2, the general form of the'keys H5, housed within the slots. A pivot pin H6 is passed through each rounded corner portion I Id, at the centers thereof, for engagement through the openings usually present in the circular ends of the keys. A cylindrical knob H9 is rotatably mounted on the cylindrical portion II8, of the body I I I, and a retaining screw I28 passed centrally inward through its end wall and threaded into the opposed end wall of the body portion I I8.

The knob H9 has its annular side wall provided with diametrically opposed sets of apertured seats I25, for the cooperation therewith of the detent I22, which is, maintained in contact with the inner surface of the sleeve I20, extending forwardly from the engaged end of the knob H9, by the pressure of the coiled spring I24, housed in the radial bore I23, in the cylindrical end portion I I8, of the body I I I. Opening through the sleeve I23, at opposite points on its circumference, and midway between the sets of apertured seats I25, are like apertured seats I26, to be engaged by the detent I22, to retain the knob IIS against accidental rotative motion, when it is positioned to displace the key releasing slot IZI, formed in the sleeve I22, out of registry with the several key receiving slots M2; the slot I2l having its edges beveled, as at I2I to facilitate the passage of the keys outwardly and inwardly of the slots H2, as before stated.

From this description, it will be obvious that the holders have the advantage of housing a number of keys in a manner that permits of a quick selection of one required for immediate use and, at the same time, prevents-them from contacting the walls of a pocket, in which the holder is being carried, which contact, permitted by certain of other types of holders, causes wear and tear of the pocket walls. Also, the rotative knob, with its slotted sleeve, provides a quick and easily adjustable means for releasing the selected key to a position exteriorly of the holder for its ready insertion into a lock.

Having thus fully described my invention, it is to be understood that various changes in design 4 and minor details of construction to which th holders are found to be susceptible, may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention, or its scope as claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A key holder comprising a bodykerfed longitudinally to provide a plurality of equidistantly spaced parallel walls, the spaces between the parallel walls each constituting a receiving slot for a flat key, the slots opening through one end of the body, a pivot pin passed through the free ends of the parallel walls and engaged through the apertured ends of keys housed within the receiving slots, the end of the body connecting the opposite ends of the parallel walls being cylindrical and a cylindrical knob mounted for turning motion on the cylindrical end of the body and ha'ving a cylindrical sleeve encircled about the connected ends of the parallel walls to enclose the bit ends of the keys, the sleeve of the knob being formed with a slot of a width sufficient to pass but one key to release the bit end oi a selected key when the knob is turned to place the release slot in registry with the receiving slot housing the selected key.

2. A key holder comprising a body made of plastic, metal, or other suitable material, kerfed longitudinally at one side to provide a plurality of equidistantly spaced parallel walls, the spaces between the parallel walls each constituting a receiving slot for a flat key, the slots opening through one end of the body, a pivot pin passed through the free ends of the parallel walls and engaged through the apertured ends of keys housed within the receiving slots, the end of the body connecting the opposite ends of the parallel walls being cylindrical, and a cylindrical knob mounted for turning motion on the cylindrical end of the body and having a portion encircled about the connected ends of the parallel Walls to enclose the bit ends of the keys, the encircling portion of the knob being slottedto re.- lease the bit end of a selected key when the knob is turned to place the release slot in registry with the receiving slot housing the selected key, with a detent carried by the cylindrical end portion of the body for cooperation with a series of seats formed in the like portion of the knob to retain the knob in a set position, certain of the seats corresponding in number to the number of the key receiving slots and equally spaced apart with respect thereto, so that the knob will be held by the detent against accidental movement when set to align the key releasing slot with the receiving slot housing a selected key, another of the seats being spaced from the first named seats for its engagement by the detent to hold the knob stationary when the key releasing slot is positioned out of line with the receiving slots.

OLIVER SEELY. 

